Bail has become a focal point in the fight to transform the criminal justice system as well as the pretrial system, and there are several good reasons why. More Americans Experience Jails Than Prisons The difference is that jails typically hold people in the days leading to their trials, or for sentences less than one […]
Author Archive | Neysa Watkins
Beth Chapman has Throat Cancer
I say “Bounty Hunter,” you say “DOG!” Most everyone knows about the famous Hawaiian bail bondsman and his eccentric family of bounty hunters. Duane Chapman and his wife of 11 years, Beth Chapman, are now facing one of the worst trials of their entire life together. Beth has stage 2 throat cancer. In a letter […]
Texas State Prisons do not Provide AC for Inmates
Inmates from a Texas state prison have been fighting a lawsuit in federal court for more than a year, and a recent ruling may not be enough to fix a problem that has been causing controversy for far longer than that. The facts of the case are as follows: Six inmates, 5 with medical conditions […]
Harris County Bail Reforms – Working, or Wrong Track?
The entire nation has eyes on reforms to bail systems that have been implemented in recent years. Some have taken place in New Jersey, and others are hitting a little closer to home. The basic problem with traditional cash bail systems, as many people in support of the reforms claim, is that people with little […]
How Can I Prepare for My Bail Hearing?
How does a bail hearing work? Bail exists solely to secure your presence at future court hearings. The bail hearing is always your first court appearance, after your arrest. A judge or other judicial official will be present at this hearing, along with the prosecutor. You always have the right to have an attorney with […]
How Judges Determine Bail Amounts
First, what is “bail?” Bail is usually defined as an amount of money, given to a court to ensure that a criminal defendant will return for their court appearance after an arrest. People often hear about bail in criminal proceedings, and that “the judge set the bail at a certain amount;” but it can be […]